my favorite section for last; these albums brought the most joy into my world.


Library Tapes - Fragment (5/5)


Utter perfection formed from slightly off piano chords and minimal melodies played against field recordings. Everything this guy touches is gold. Feels like i am enwrapped in a warm blanket of piano. Beauty like this cannot be put into words, it's limiting.


Max Richter - 24 Postcards in Full Color (5/5)


Max Richter in similar to Library Tapes except with more instruments and electronic/ambient elements involved and a fuller/more refined classical sound. Beautiful piano and violin music very reminiscent of Philip Glass, Brian Eno, etc. oh its so amazing that musicians keep making music like this- keep it up people, don't stop being influenced by classical music because that was the music of geniuses! (excuse my tangents)

Hauschka - Ferndorf (4.5/5)

This third album is gonna be my last example of experimental piano, I know I know its too much. But really, we are entering more experimental territory here with Ferndorf as it is not the kind of music you can necessarily fall asleep to as its dynamics fluctuate. yet it expands your mind unlike anything else. good for doing math!

Jacaszek - Treny  (4.5/5)

This one is pretty hard to describe as every song sounds kinda different, basically some really relaxing and haunting music right here. A woman's voice appears in the background, pauses here and there, electronic elements, strings, and piano. Think Arvo Part / film music. Very ambient, very minimal. 



Grouper - Dragging a Dead Deer Up a Hill (5/5)


The raw, field recording/broken piano sound is back. Soft eerie music, this album is more vocal based, and a guitar is involved! The girl's voice is beautiful.


The Alps - III (4.5/5)


Psychedelic music with a hint of free jazz & inspired by contemporary minimalist classical composers, sounds like the soundtrack to a tripped out surrealist film.


Paavoharju - Laulu laakson kukista (4.5/5)


this album rules. 0.5 deduction for 1 song I don't  really like. this is crazy experimental ambient weird folk from Finland... they are christian and they speak a language you cannot understand. i repeat, it fucking rules. hard. for fans of non-classifiable music.

John Zorn - FIlmworks XIX: The Rain Horse (5/5)

Woah. best soundtrack this year (sorry johnny greenwood) apparently he released two more this year but I haven't heard them so I won't recommend them but this one is quite a masterpiece.